Max

Francesc Capdevila Gisbert

(b. 1956, Spain)

Algo Grotesco (1983)

Francesc Capdevila Gisbert (Max) is probably the most famous and world-renowned of all Spanish underground artists. Published in France, Italy, the U.S.A., Canada, Finland, and Germany, Max has won several prizes for his work, including the Prize for the Best Work at the International Comic Fair in Barcelona in 1988 and 1996.

Bardín the Superrealist

Francesc Capdevila was born in Barcelona and published his first work in the alternative press of that city in 1975. He used the pen name Max, which became Alphamax in France, because of the artist with the same name working for Les Humanoïdes Associés. In 1979, he participated in the launch of the alternative comix magazine El Víbora, for which he created many illustrations, short and continuing stories. Max additionally published his work in Complot, Pequeño País, Rumbo Sur and TBO, as well as French publications like Métal Hurlant and L'Écho des Savanes.

In 1993, he started his own fanzine, Nosotros Somos Los Muertos, in which he published his own stories, as well as the work of artists like Micharmut, Miguel Gallardo and Lorenzo Mattotti. that appeared in Max's own collection, as well as in Quadrado in Portugal and Lapin in France. In addition, he published his award-winning 1996 comic 'Como Perrs' with La Cúpula. In 1997, he made two more albums for La Cúpula - 'El Canto del Gallo' and 'El Prolongado Sueño del Sr. T.'. In 1998 he graphically developed the mascot for F.C. Barcelona football club.

In 1999, he contributed to the large 'Comix 2000' anthology by French publisher L'Association and he worked on the animation project 'Microfilm' for Canal Cinemanía. In 2003, his album 'Espiasueños', that contained most of his illustration work from the period 1973-2003, was published by La Cúpula.